Social Responsibility & the Weaponization of Genetics Research

Speaker
Daphne Martschenko, PhD
Assistant Professor
Stanford University Center for Biomedical Ethics

Session Description
Claims regarding genetic differences in human behavior have been used for nefarious purposes such as to resist the abolition of slavery, restrict immigration, and justify laws outlawing interracial marriage. This history looms over human genetic research today. Sub-fields such as social and behavioral genomics are highly controversial – the subject of heated, academic debate. This talk will examine the harms, potential benefits, and social and ethical responsibilities of stakeholders involved in the conduct/translation of emerging genomic technologies. It will present a harm mitigation strategy that is increasingly utilized in domains such as social and behavioral genomics and population genetics.